


Aftermath - 17 Days Out - The Bed

by serendipityxxi



Series: The Void [10]
Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fuzzy socks, M/M, Maine lingerie, Oral Sex, Polyamory, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 23:37:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17776379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipityxxi/pseuds/serendipityxxi
Summary: Nathan buys a bigger bed, they take it for a test drive. Smut and feels abound! Happy Valentines day, Haven fandom! :-*





	Aftermath - 17 Days Out - The Bed

**Author's Note:**

> As always, so many thanks to Jadzibelle for beta-ing! <3 <3 <3

Nathan Wuornos walks into the Sears in Bangor with his shoulders practically at his ears and his hands firmly in his pockets. He feels ridiculous. He shouldn’t. He’s not in here to commit a crime or do anything wrong. He is, in fact, here to buy a bed. A normal thing that normal people do every day. But Nathan is here to purchase a California King bed so that he and his _two_ lovers can fit more comfortably on it without having to sleep half on top of each other. Nathan doesn’t think they’re going to _stop_ sleeping half on top of each other, but it’ll be nice to have enough space that it’s an option.

It feels... Decadent, is the word Duke would use. _Wasteful_ is what his father would say. Well, it’s the least offensive thing his father would say. Garland Wuornos had not been a sentimental man, he didn’t spend time on his emotions or catering to anyone else’s beyond the barest minimum. Knowing what he knows now, Nathan can forgive him for that, and for all the ways he failed him. At the end of the day, he was just a man. But Nathan isn’t going to make the same mistakes. The bigger bed is a statement to his partners; he’s taking their needs into account.

He loves them.

He wants them in his life.

If he wants them both in his life he’s going to have to show it, by making changes. Like buying a new bed.

It feels... extravagant, buying the bed when so much of Haven is still in shambles, like he should be spending his money on rebuilding efforts. But he thinks of Duke’s shoulders- how tense he’s been holding them, braced for rejection, so sure that they’d cast him aside as soon as the shroud came down. Nathan steels his own shoulders and walks through the showroom.

He’s quickly overwhelmed.

Who knew buying a bed required so many decisions? The last time he’d bought a bed he’d gone down to the second hand shop and bought a bed for $50, mattress and all. There’s the frame to consider, box or spring. The mattress - pillow top? memory foam? egg crate topper or no? He doesn’t have sheets to fit the damn monstrosity it’s too big. Apparently, there’s such a thing as king sized pillows to go with it all.

 _He should’ve brought them to help._ The thought seizes him suddenly. They’ll have to sleep on this bed too. What if it's too soft or too hard? He can see Duke sprawled catlike on the mattresses, flirting with the salesgirl, making it all go smoothly. Can practically hear Parker’s sarcastic comments about all the different styles of everything, making him feel less like an idiot for not knowing all these things either. Nathan almost turns tail and heads for home, but he doesn’t. He wants to give them this. He wants to show them… wants to show them he’s capable of change, of making room in his life.

The nagging thought - _what if he does all this and Duke leaves anyway_ \- rears its ugly head again. Nathan’s hand clenches around his keys in his pocket so the sharp edges dig into his palm. _What if, what if, what if,_ it whispers. Nathan stamps it down firmly, lets go of the keys. If Duke leaves anyway, it won’t be because he isn’t sure if Nathan cares. If Duke leaves Nathan’ll go after him and drag him back, because he knows, knows in his gut, Duke _doesn’t want_ to leave. He’s done not listening to his gut when it comes to Duke.

Nathan clenches his jaw and makes decisions. He’s a detective. He knows his partners. He’s perfectly capable of buying a bed to fit their needs.

The cost of the bed, mattress, bedding, pillows, etcetera, all come together to make the salesgirl smile prettily at him and agree to talk to the guys in the back about helping him load it all up.

Delivery is supposed to take two days. Nathan can’t wait that long.

He tips the two guys who help haul it all out to the Bronco and settles in for the drive home, excitement buzzing comfortably in his skin. The steering wheel is cool under his fingertips, winter hanging in the air even as the heater chugs on trying to take the chill from the cab of the truck. Nathan taps out the beat of the song on the radio just for the pleasure of feeling his fingers doing that.

 

When he gets back the house is empty, which means Parker and Duke are still at the station, and hopefully Dwight’s covered for him and no one’s looking for him just yet. Nathan still needs time to get it all set up. He puts the new comforter and sheets in the washer first - he doesn’t want them smelling like the store. He wants them to smell like home. Then he sets about dismantling his old bed.

His fingers trace the intricate carvings on the old headboard, feeling each ridge and dip. He closes his eyes and traces his hands down the wood, like a blind man reading braille. He pictures the way Audrey’s hair always gets caught in the headboard and Duke’s face the first time he sat back against it - surprised and outraged all at once. Nathan grins and opens his eyes. It’s a really nice piece of artwork but it’s not the headboard for him anymore. He hauls it up to the spare bedroom with the bedframe and the mattress. Leaves it all in the corner to deal with later.

Now, he’s got a bed to build.

It takes a lot of huffing and puffing, and some swearing, but Nathan gets the bed set up, the linens in place. The bedding came with curtains as part of the set so he switches those out too. There isn’t much space to walk in the room anymore but that’s a trade off he’s willing to make.

He hears Duke’s truck in the driveway just as he picks up the lighter to light the candles and smiles, self satisfied and proud.

They clomp into the house calling for him, and Nathan’s heart gives a warm thump at how nice the sound is, how much it feels like a home with their voices ringing out.

He clears his throat and calls back to them. “In the bedroom.”

They pad down the hall, he can hear both their footsteps. Parker pushes the door open first and stops in the doorway, surprise on her face.

The new bed takes up most of the back wall. Getting out of bed is going to be a squeeze.

The comforter is soft and thick, a deep, dark, blue, like the night sky. Parker wears a lot of blue and Duke likes blue, Nathan figured blue was a good choice. It’s plain, but with tucks here and there making diamond patterns. The sheets are a pale, eggshell blue, Egyptian cotton, thread count higher than Nathan can remember, the salesgirl had sworn they were the best quality and Nathan can’t argue that they don’t feel nice. He also bought sets in grey, black and sky blue; no one can say Nathan Wuornos can’t make a color palette.

There are three pillows on the bed all in a row, fitting comfortably against the tufted grey headboard. He’d blushed when he picked out the headboard but he’s not the only one to hit his head against the last one when things got… excited. The throw pillows the comforter set came with are in the closet; they wanted more room, not less.

The light from outside is muted, coming in blue through the filter of the new curtains, making the candles’ glow even brighter, warm yellow light suffusing the space, picking out highlights and lowlights, making his bedroom, _their_ bedroom, look cozy and inviting.

A warm, safe place to rest. That’s what he wants to give them.

Nathan shakes off that sappy thought and looks from the bed to his partners, heart suddenly pounding in his throat. What if… Nathan swallows down the what if.

“Tol- told you was gonna buy a bigger bed,” he manages with only one stammer and what he hopes comes across as his own version of Duke’s bravado.

Parker’s eyes are dancing, twinkling in the candlelight, affection and excitement clear on her face. _He’s done good_ , her expression tells him and he’s relieved because if Audrey approves then Duke… Duke’s got on his best time-to-tease-Nathan smirk. It drives Nathan insane except today he mostly can’t wait to hear what’s going to come out of his mouth. He doesn’t disappoint.

“Nathan Wuornos,” he drawls, stepping around Parker to run his hand along the covers, “newly minted hedonist! I knew you had it in you!”

Nathan blushes and rolls his eyes, gives Duke a shove. “Try it out already,” he orders.

Duke twists on the spot to flop obligingly onto the bed. He sinks in, the comforter billowing up and then out around his body in a very satisfying way. Duke wriggles his shoulders into the mattress. With both arms spread wide his knuckles just brush the edges, Nathan notes, again with satisfaction. Duke raises his eyebrows at Nathan and Audrey still standing there, pats the space next to him with a waggle of those eyebrows.

Audrey leaps onto the bed with a bounce and squirms around into Duke’s space, elbowing him over as if she couldn’t fit otherwise to make Nathan chuckle.

“Hey!” Duke complains, nudging over into her space.

She settles with her head on Duke’s shoulder, her booted feet still kicking idly over the edge. She spreads her right arm and leg out and back in as if she’s making a lopsided snow angel.

“Well?” Nathan demands when they’re both just laying there, looking up at him.

“It’ll do,” Parker says, clearly mocking him. Her tone is begrudging but her eyes are gleeful as she runs her hand over the comforter, clearly relishing the feel of it.

“Why don’t you test it for yourself,” Duke says, patting the space on the other side of him with a leer.

Nathan heaves a put upon sigh but crawls onto the bed anyway. He stretches out next to Duke and there is in fact a good four inches between his hip and the edge of the mattress, which Nathan is counting as a win. Laying down on it for the first time, he realizes the mattress may be the best thing he has ever bought in his life. It cradles his body, head to toe, not too hard, not too soft, just firm enough to sink into. Nathan sucks in a deep breath and lets it out slowly; he hadn’t even noticed the nagging ache from too tense muscles until he feels it easing. He grins, lets himself feel the grin, stretches his hands out and ghosts his fingers over the fabric he chose. The comforter is as soft as advertised,rustling quietly, smelling of detergent and fabric softener.

Duke nudges him with his knee. When Nathan turns his head Duke is right there, brown eyes bright and happy.

Duke looks happy.

Because of something Nathan did.

Nathan’s lips curl up all on their own, stretching his cheeks. Duke’s answering grin is real and without artifice. It takes Nathan’s breath away. He forgot Duke could look like this. Carefree, young... _Vulnerable_ is the word he’s really looking for. It’s an open smile, a real smile, genuine emotion. Duke opening up and letting him see it is huge. Nathan panics for a second; he put that look on Duke’s face, but can he keep it there?

Nathan struggles to keep any of that from showing on his face, because Duke is so close and he’s smiling and Nathan just wants him to keep doing that. He’s so close Nathan can feel his breath on his cheekbone, see the fine lines that Duke would deny around his eyes. Nathan remembers when those lines weren’t there. He appreciates them though, they remind him of how long they’ve known each other, make him think of how far they’ve come.

Nathan meets Duke’s eyes and they’re no longer grinning. He’s watching Nathan quietly, studiously, as if he’s trying to read Nathan’s mind through sheer willpower alone. Nathan smiles without meaning to because he’s wanted the exact same thing more than once. Duke grins in response and then his warm hands are there cupping the sides of Nathan’s face and kissing him, soft, slow, sucking kisses that send electricity zipping through Nathan’s system and a shiver down his spine.

“That-- that mean you like the bed?” Nathan breathes when they pull apart. Duke smirks and rolls on top of him so they’re pressed all along each other and Nathan can feel how much he likes the bed. Nathan _hopes_ that means he likes the bed.

“Can’t say til we run some more tests,” Duke teases, rocking his hips into Nathan. The bed doesn’t squeak, the headboard doesn’t rock. He’s anchored it well, he thinks smugly in between kissing Duke.

Parker’s on her side, watching them silently when they pull apart again. Her left hand’s propping up her head, her hair glinting golden in the candlelight. Her eyes are soft, her face impossibly fond- like she’d looked at Cookie for the short time she’d had him. Nathan can feel himself blushing under the look. Audrey spots it and rolls her eyes, leans in to kiss him and then Duke in turn.

“I have a few tests of my own I’d like to run,” she breathes out, pressing her forehead to theirs. Nathan closes his eyes and inhales the moment, the silk of Audrey’s hair brushing his forehead, the solid bulk of Duke pressed into him, the mattress soft and firm beneath him, the stillness of the air around them. No one’s phone has gone off, no one’s been called out for an emergency.

Duke reaches out an arm to draw Audrey more firmly into their embrace.

“What evidence are you looking for, Detective Parker?” he teases.

Audrey grins and goes to her knees, to his and Duke’s mutual horrified gasps.

“No boots on the bed,” they scold in almost-unison.

They all laugh at each other and Parker sticks her feet back out over the side. She makes a face at them, then sits up to undo her boots with a grumble.

Nathan nudges Duke off him and goes around the edge of the bed to take one of her feet in his hands. She leans back and lets him after a moment, going to her elbows and watching with squinted eyes as he runs the zipper down the side of her boot. He drops the boot to the floor and curls his fingers around the top of her fuzzy grey socks. They are extremely soft. Softer than the comforter, softer than the sheets. Nathan doesn’t know what they’re made of but he sinks his fingers into the plush material and just strokes her calf through it. _Wow_.

Audrey and Duke’s laughter draws him out of his reverie.

“Nobody told me fuzzy socks were Maine lingerie,” Parker jokes.

Nathan laughs too, quiet and good natured. She doesn’t move, lets him keep running his fingers up and down the back of her calf. She knows how long it’s been, knows how much it means to him that he can feel this. The rush of love that wells up in his chest has him looking away to finish rolling the sock off of her foot. Audrey’s toes wiggle up at him, all five of them, pink and warm in the candlelight.

He undoes the other boot and Audrey plants her foot on his chest, waits for him to sink his fingers into the other sock. “They’re called microfiber,” she tells him as he cups her heel, runs his thumb back and forth over it. “Bet I can find a pair in your size,” she teases.

“I’m going to need a pair too,” Duke declares, “so Nathan can peel them off me just like that.”

They all chuckle and Nathan can feel the scratch of air moving in his throat, feel the rumble of his voicebox as the sound pours out. It’s so much. So much he was missing out on.

While Nathan is pondering the wonders of microfiber, Audrey runs out of patience and starts undoing the fly of her jeans. Nathan slips the sock off and gets down to business. He hooks his fingers into the rough denim and pulls the cuffs of both legs over her ankles. He manages to take the pants in one smooth go but when he tosses them away dramatically over his shoulder he narrowly avoids getting hit in the face by one of the legs, making Audrey burst into laughter.

Nathan glances over and Duke’s grinning but he doesn’t say a word and honestly, Nathan can’t even be annoyed. The light in Duke’s eyes is more than enough payment for actually getting hit in the face a dozen times over.

“Smooth, Wuornos,” Parker heckles.

He grabs her ankles, silky, warm skin under his fingers, hauling her to the edge of the bed on a shriek that does nothing to stop her laughter. His hands slide up her calves, her skin’s so soft under his fingers he can’t stop the “not as smooth as you,” that escapes his lips.

Audrey groans and laughs, head twisting on the mattress, blonde hair spread out around her like a halo.

“God, you’re cheesy! Why’s that so hot?” she teases, twisting her head head to ask Duke.

Duke chuckles. “Must be a Trouble we don’t know about.”

Nathan doesn’t see how that was any less cheesy than what he just said but Audrey laughs anyway. 

Some of the laughter leaves her as his hands skim around her knees, thumbs sliding into the curve behind them, making her breath hitch and her hips squirm. His fingers dance up her inner thighs, silky smooth skin and the heat… she’s practically hot enough to singe his fingers. He drags his fingertips up and across the tops of her thighs instead of where she wants them and it’s her turn to grumble in complaint. Nathan smiles and thumbs her hip bones that are so prominent after the shroud, two curved bumps that Nathan can feel them through soft cotton of her panties. The shroud is gone though, and there’s food now, so much, so many options. He’s going to have to remind her to actually eat something. When he’s less distracted. He drags his fingers just under the edge of her waistband, savoring the dual sensations of soft skin and rough elastic.

Parker pushes a hand through his hair and it’s not demanding, just fond. Her face is soft and her eyes are twinkling when he looks up. Her look tells him she knows just what has him distracted, and she’s indulging him. He loves her so fiercely in that moment it makes his chest tight.

Her hand slides down the side of his neck and over his chest, making Nathan aware of how fast he’s breathing, panting really, and they’ve barely started. He can feel her fingers through his shirt. Feel the scratch of a nail across his nipple, making him gasp. 

“Come here,” she orders, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck. “We need you to consult on the experiment,” she declares.

Behind her Duke laughs but Nathan is too far gone. She drags him down to the bed and Duke moves in to bracket him and Nathan loses track of what and when, his eyes slip shut and it’s all a swirl of sensation.

The scents of vanilla, lemon, sandalwood and detergent wrap themselves around him.

The slick, wet sound of kisses and heavy breaths echo in his ears.

The taste of coffee on Audrey’s tongue, the salt of Duke’s skin. 

And through it all is everything he can feel, feel with every inch of his skin.

His brain isn’t full of despair and frustration thinking of how to take down the fog wall. No, today there’s nothing, amazingly, blissfully nothing, except every sensation his skin registers.

The slick billow and cushion of the new comforter beneath his shoulder blades. Duke’s hair sliding through his fingers, the scratch of Duke’s goatee and the counterpoint of his wet tongue against Nathan’s neck. The cotton of Audrey’s bra under his fingers and beneath that the heat of her skin. Their legs are all twined together, his and Duke’s and Audrey’s, he can feel the rasp of Duke’s leg hair against his own and the satin slide of Audrey’s shaved calf as they move together. Someone’s hand is on his hip and someone’s mouth is nipping at his jaw and Nathan has to pull away with a strangled yelp when someone’s hand cups him through his jeans.

He’s close already, his erection heavy and full, trapped inside his jeans. He can feel his heartbeat throbbing in his balls and, he realizes on a panted breath, heart pounding in his chest, if anyone touches him now he’s just going to explode. It feels like if a breeze hits him wrong he’ll come.

Nathan’s cheeks heat with embarrassment while Duke and Audrey stare up at him from his new sheets, matching concern in their expressions.

“Nathan?” Audrey reaches for him and he takes a step back, hands coming up a little.

“Parker-” his voice is a strangled cry. “Don’t-” he can’t finish the sentence but Audrey doesn’t make him. She sits back and shoots Duke a worried look.

“I just-” Nathan puts a hand to his racing heart and he’s still wearing his damn t shirt for crying out loud. He takes his hand away because that’s too much sensation. Then he pulls the t shirt over his head because now that he’s noticed it he cannot have the collar touching the back of his neck. He steps back, toes flexing and tensing as he works to recall the first fifty police radio codes but the soft knap of the carpet keeps distracting him.

Audrey’s gaze has gone from worried to quizzical, she’s fixed him with that problem solving squint she gets and usually Nathan finds that hot as hell but right now he would rather the floor opened up and swallowed him whole than have her solve this mystery.

It’s Duke who gets off the bed. He holds out the water bottle they keep on the nightstand.

“S’okay, Nate,” he says, voice low and soothing.

It’s not, it’s really not, but what else is he supposed to say, Nathan thinks.

He unscrews the lid, plastic rasping unpleasantly against his palm, and takes a drink. He swallows too fast, chokes and spills the water down his chest and it’s not even cold, it’s room temperature, but the sensation is like a shock to his system.  And the good news is he’s not on edge any more. That’s the good news.

“Nate?” Duke asks, “what is it?”

Nathan is done waiting for the floor to open up, he’s ready to go dig himself a hole. How can he explain this to Duke? Duke with the ever ready quip, who never met an opportunity to tease Nathan he didn’t take. But that’s… It’s not fair. It’s not. Duke has kept the teasing to a minimum lately and really, Nathan hasn’t felt like the butt of the joke so much as the subject of them when he does. But he still can’t…

“It’s too much, isn’t it?” Audrey asks, sitting up on her knees now in the bed.

Nathan can feel the blush creeping up his neck, settling behind his ears. Of course Audrey knows. She’s been through this with him before.

Duke looks to Audrey, still confused.

“Too much sensation?” She clarifies diplomatically.

Nathan can’t bring himself to answer out loud. He bobs his head once, the move so sharp it hurts his neck a little, eyes on the floor, the sheets, anywhere but their faces. He doesn’t know which would be worse right now, sympathy or a joke.

He knows they’re not going to judge him. He knows it’s normal for whatever variant of normal this life he’s living is, but none of that stops him from feeling like a freak. He just… he’d like to be normal for once.

If he were normal he wouldn’t have this problem though, he wouldn’t have two people in his bed, he’d probably be alone in this room without a California king mattress taking up all the floor space. But he _wants_ the two people in his bed, he wants _both_ of them, he wants the California king mattress, he wants all of it.

So Nathan takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders and throws normal out the window.

“Need a minute.” He manages to force the words out though they feel like they scrape his throat raw.

Duke sits down on the edge of the bed, but he and Parker keep shooting Nathan concerned looks.

“Can you just... go back to what you were doing?” Even as the words fall from Nathan’s lips he’s aware of how ridiculous they sound.

Duke gives him an incredulous look but Parker gets her hand on his shoulder and turns him around to face her. She kisses him and he responds absently, until she leans up and murmurs “he’ll be less self conscious if we don’t look at him” in what she thinks is a quiet enough voice, but Nathan’s hearing is still sensitive enough to pick it up.

So they kiss and Nathan settles himself back against the dresser, the cold, round, metal drawer pulls digging into his spine. They help him to ground himself, give him something to focus on. Two in a row on either side of his spine. He presses back into them, feeling the give in his muscles. When he glances back up Parker and Duke have gotten over the initial awkward stage and are back to kissing like they mean it.

Nathan takes the moment to study them together. He doesn’t often get the opportunity when he’s in the middle of things. He’s pleased to find it doesn’t hurt to watch them kissing, he doesn’t feel left out. It’s… hot, if he’s being honest. He _knows_ if he were to go to them now, if he were to place his hands on their shoulders they would turn to him with smiles of welcome and warmth.

Nathan watches them together in the golden glow of the lamp and discovers they’re beautiful together. Duke’s big hands on Audrey’s delicate face, his thumbs stroking so carefully over her cheekbones. His touches are _tender_ in a way that makes Nathan’s chest feel tight. They’re touches that _cherish_. Duke is soft with Audrey in a different way than he is with Nathan. Audrey gets annoyed by it sometimes, Nathan knows, but he also gets where Duke is coming from.

With him and Duke they’ve been in each other’s pockets for practically as long as either can remember, and they’ve always been physical with each other- whether it was playful roughhousing or genuine fist fights, they’ve always touched each other. Nathan clearly remembers being six years old, pressed hip to knee against Duke on the bus, to or from school he doesn’t know but he knows it was as natural as breathing. For Nathan, touching Duke is like reaching for a part of himself, natural, automatic. Whether they touch for comfort or sex it’s the same, _natural_ , Duke belongs to him in the same way that he belongs to Duke. He doesn’t have to think about it.

Touching Audrey, on the other hand… Audrey is a lot smaller than either he or Duke is, she’s more delicate but she’s also a lot pricklier. She has very definite ideas of what is and what isn’t acceptable and they’re all still learning where those boundaries are. She’s not aggressive about it, but she’s also not shy about moving a hand or calling them on treating her like, well, like a girl. Nathan is often guilty of that but he’s trying.

Regardless of Audrey’s girly status or not, it clearly means a lot to Duke that he gets to touch her and Nathan can see the awe and reverence in his hands when he does. He’s careful with her in a way they aren’t with each other. It’s special, each time, no matter how many times before - or that might be Nathan projecting a little, but he doesn’t think so.

Duke’s hands are _careful_ as they cup her jaw, thumb smoothing over the cheekbone closest to him. He pushes her hair back from her face and Nathan knows the slide of those soft strands under his fingertips feels like.

Duke tips her head to the side and drops kisses all the way to her ear as Nathan watches, making Parker sigh, content to let him worship the line of her neck, the curve of her jaw, a goddess accepting supplication from her subjects.

Nathan knows his thoughts are fanciful but they’re his and none of them has a telepathy trouble so tonight he’s safe, safe to enjoy the way his partners move together, safe to let his heart swell with love for them.

 _They’re his_ , he thinks as he watches Duke mouth his way down Audrey’s neck, watches the way Parker tilts her head to give him better access. Duke kissed him the same way earlier, the same places. Parker’s tilted her head for him the same way, with the same enthusiasm. She opens her eyes a slit to check that he’s still, there, still watching and then she lets her head fall back, hair cascading down her back. She moans with her eyes still on him and it makes Nathan shiver.

They’re not just tolerating him, they’re not better off without him, they’re _his_.

They want him.

They’re waiting for him, they’re giving him the space he needs but they want him with them, that’s why they’re letting him watch. They’re his to watch and his to touch. Even just the thought brings up goosebumps to shudder through his body as the possessive thoughts echo through his brain and the ghost of remembered touch shivers along his skin.

Nathan digs his toes into the carpet, concentrates on the gentle scratch from the soft fibers, breathes out slowly through his mouth.

The click of Duke’s buckle being undone drags his attention back to the bed. Parker’s straddling Duke’s thighs and making quick work of ridding him of his pants. Nathan swears he can hear the rasp of the zipper in the quiet room. Duke’s cock spills out into her hands, making Nathan’s fingers clench and his erection twitch- he doesn’t know which he’d rather, getting his hands on Duke or letting them get their hands on him.

Audrey’s hands stutter to a stop as Duke dips his head and sucks at her nipples. Audrey’s fingers come up to tunnel through his hair as she cries out, holding him to her in a wordless _don’t stop_.

Duke glances over at Nathan and throws him a wicked wink that makes warmth blossom in Nathan’s chest. Duke hasn’t forgotten him either. The wink says _look what I can do to our girl_ in their shorthand, smug and mischievous and including Nathan without a word.

Duke turns his eyes back to Parker’s face, gauging her reactions as he moves from one breast to the other. He sucks soft and then sharp with no discernible pattern to it, they both know how much that drives her wild. _Worshipful_ was the right word for Duke with Audrey, and it makes Nathan’s heart feel like it swells three times too big for his chest to watch them.

Duke loves her the way she deserves to be loved.

Parker’s head tips back as she gets lost in the pleasure of the moment, her blonde hair falling past the anchoring arm Duke hurries to wrap around her back. He hauls her to him so their bodies are pressed flush against each other. Her mouth glistens wet and softly swollen from his kisses, lips parted sweetly as she draws in air in quick little gasps. Their new position lets her grind down onto Duke and Nathan’s cock twitches in envy at the sharp little circles her hips make. Duke thrusts up into her in response and Audrey lets out a little keen, her face flushing with pleasure.

“Duke,” she gasps, tugging at his hair, pulling his face up to hers. She kisses him like she can’t wait another moment, like a dying man in the desert drinks water from a surprise oasis. She kisses him and kisses him and gets her hands between them, reaching for his erection. “Now, now, now,” she orders, knees pressed tight on either side of his hips.

Nathan’s cock gives a twitch at her order, responding all on its own to the command in her voice.

“Audrey?” Duke asks.

Her head comes up to glare him in the eyes. “Now.”

“Whatever the lady wants,” Duke agrees with a shallow thrust that does nothing except tease all three of them.

Parker’s eyes go wide and then she kneels up and off him in a moment.

“Wait,” she orders, and Nathan can see where Duke’s cock is shiny with her slick and is impressed with Duke’s composure at her instructions. She and Duke move around some on the bed, until Duke’s sitting at the edge and then Parker... She straddles him. _Backward_.

She holds Nathan’s eyes as she and Duke work to get him into the right angle; they both hold Nathan’s gaze as Duke slips into her so slowly it makes Nathan’s teeth ache. He drops their gaze and looks, sees Duke pushing into Audrey, sees the shine of their slick on his cock and feels his own erection tighten in his pants, painfully so.

He glances back up and Audrey and Duke are still looking at him, mischief on their faces as they move so slowly against one another, giving Nathan time to look his fill. They are terrible, Nathan decides, he doesn’t know why he didn’t realize they would gang up on him like this. They’re five feet away from him and he’s still about two minutes from coming in his pants, this time entirely untouched.

“You’re menaces,” he rasps, curling his fingers into the top of the dresser for something to hold on to.

Parker laughs at him, tosses her hair over her shoulder and twists to kiss Duke bright and happy. “Did you hear that?” she asks Duke.

“I did. I don’t think he knows what sweet nothings are,” he tells her, shaking his head sadly, even as she rides him at that same achingly slow pace.

“Maybe he thinks menace _is_ a sweet nothing,” Parker returns, breath hitching a little as Duke bottoms out inside her. They’re definitely enjoying the show they’re putting on for him. “Maybe when he used to call you things like,” she gasps when Duke times a thrust just right, “pain in the ass and irresponsible,” she grinds back against him, punctuating her words with a whine, “he meant things like honey and sweet- ah- heart,” she pants.

Nathan snorts and stalks across the carpet. They want to play? He can play.

“Said menace, n’ I meant it,” he growls. Their eyes are bright and Parker holds out a hand in welcome as he approaches the bed. He drops to his knees in front of the bed and kisses her stomach, grips Duke’s thigh. “Two of you on your own-” he starts kissing up Audrey’s thighs, feels the muscles quiver under his lips as he kisses the left and then the right, then the left and then the right again, higher and higher, closer and closer. “Two of you are trouble on your own but together...” he times it just right to drop a sucking kiss on Audrey’s clit as Duke bottoms out inside her. She keens, hands coming to thread through Nathan’s hair. He smirks at her, proud and a little lightheaded with accomplishment at the surprise and pleasure on her face when he pulls away. “Together you’re both menaces,” he finishes to Duke’s amused snort.

Nathan can’t help it, his tongue flicks out, licks at her taste on his lips. And though he didn’t mean it as a tease Audrey’s eyes go dark and her hands tighten in his hair and he knows what she wants.

He could tease her.

He could make her wait.

But he wants the same thing she does. A glance at Duke’s hooded gaze tells him they all do. Nathan’s thumbs spread her petal soft lower lips and he sets to work, sucking hungrily at the firm little nub of her clit. Audrey arches and cries out, giving Nathan a smug shot of satisfaction deep in his belly. She spreads her legs wider and Duke helpfully takes over thrusting so she can hold still, gives him a little room to work.

Nathan remembers Duke’s words from before the shroud went down, how hot he’d found it when Nathan had brought Audrey off while she was fucking Duke, the rough voice as he confessed that the two of  them together, both of them touching him, was so hot. Nathan takes full advantage of his position, lapping at Duke’s shaft when he can, taking a break from Audrey’s clit to suck at Duke’s balls, making him shout and jerk against them.

It takes a little work but Nathan times it so he manages both Duke’s cock and Audrey’s clit in one long lick and then he starts over, his cock throbbing like a heartbeat in his jeans. Nathan’s got his mouth on them, the most sensitive skin on his body and he’s using it to feel Audrey who’s _wet_ and _soft_ and _swollen_ , he’s using it to feel Duke who’s _hard_ and _heavy_ and _hot_ against his lips. They taste like each other, flavors entwined as tightly as their bodies.

Nathan glances up as best he can to find Duke’s big hands cupping Audrey’s breasts, her head thrown back against Duke’s shoulder as she whines her pleasure. They’re beautiful together with the candlelight limning the knuckles of Duke’s hands and the line of Audrey’s throat in gold. Nathan wants to make them come. He wants to give them something good. He wants to give them everything good, the bed and the room, a place to rest and be safe- and pleasure, he wants to make them come. _He loves them_ , the thought fills his head like an ever expanding balloon. _He loves them_. It blocks out everything else. He’s punch drunk from the hormones and the endorphins and the emotions rushing through his system but it doesn’t matter because the thought is true. He _loves_ them.

Duke and Parker move together, faster now. Nathan keeps up as best he can, licking and sucking and before he knows it she’s keening her release, hands fisted in his hair as she writhes on his tongue and Duke’s cock. If Nathan concentrates he swears he can feel the fluttering of her muscles as she climaxes. The thought alone makes his balls feel heavy, his erection press painfully against the zipper of his jeans.

“Jesus, Audrey,” Duke swears and Nathan doesn’t have to concentrate- he feels the way she clenches around Duke’s cock on purpose.

“Minx,” Duke gasps, nipping at her shoulder.

Nathan sits back on his haunches and watches them, feeling his own heartbeat pounding away in his chest, feeling the echoing throbbing in his balls.

They’re gorgeous together.

Duke’s thrusts are slow and staccato now, drawing out those last after shudders while giving her time to come down. Parker’s eyes are at half mast, her head lolling against Duke’s shoulder as her breathing evens out. She’s beautiful all blissed out, eyes bright and cheeks flushed.

Nathan wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and gets to his feet on aching knees. It’s worth it though, worth any degree of physical discomfort to be with them, to worship them, to pepper kisses across the velvet soft skin of Audrey’s temple and cheeks. Audrey gives him a lazy smile and pulls him in to kiss her properly. He knows she can still taste herself on his tongue, taste _them_ , herself and Duke.

When they part Nathan finds Duke watching them with eyes that reflect the gold of the candlelight, bright and amused and fond. Nathan kisses him too, his hands going to Duke’s hair, his shoulders, down his back. He’s warm and alive and real under Nathan’s hands and Nathan can’t forget how lucky he is to have him that way.

Between them Audrey makes a pleased little “Oh,” sound, a gasp at something Duke did? At them? Nathan doesn’t know but it makes him smile into the kiss.

Duke’s thrusts are speeding up again, he’d been close before Audrey’s orgasm, Nathan could tell. It won’t take much. Duke’s arm comes around him, holding onto his left hip, Audrey grasps the other hip so that he’s anchored in their embrace. Nathan rocks with their thrusts now, his cock hard and trapped in his jeans still but Audrey’s soft breasts are crushed against his chest and her warm lips are trailing a path along his neck even as he and Duke kiss and rock. It’s a strange dance for three but it works, they fit, and it is so, so, so good. Nathan curls his toes into the knap of the carpet beneath him, tightens his hands in Duke’s hair feeling the strands slide through his fingers.

He wonders if it’s too much, if Audrey feels trapped between them, but when he checks he finds her face is slack, eyes shut, hips working in tandem with Duke’s, close again already. Nathan kisses her sweet pink lips. A quick peck just because she’s so damn cute.

“Audrey,” Duke calls out, warning in his voice, his breaths coming hard and sharp now. His face is a study of concentration, eyes squinted shut, shoulders curling towards his ears. The muscles in his shoulders are bulging with tension. He’s on the edge. Nathan knows it, Audrey knows it. And Nathan doesn’t have to feel it to know what she’s going to do next. She meets his gaze and the mischief in her eyes tells him that she’s clenching hard around Duke in response to his shout. Duke barks out a wordless cry of release as his rhythm falters, _their_ rhythm falters. And Nathan can _feel_ it, the last final sharp thrust, can _feel_ Duke’s harsh exhales against the side of his own neck as Duke finds his own release, he can feel the wracking shudder that courses through Duke, through Audrey into Nathan raising goosebumps all along his back.

Duke’s hands are warm, and tender as they curl around the back of Nathan’s head, pulling him close as he comes down. He smooths a hand down Audrey’s arm, gentle and reverent as if afraid to even leave fingerprints on her flesh. Nathan knows it won’t always be this way, knows there’ll come a time when they take this for granted. He’s glad it’s not today.

Audrey squirms between them, turning in Duke’s arms to kiss him, soft and languid. Duke is pliant under her kisses, body lax and liquid as he sprawls to the mattress taking Audrey under one arm and Nathan under the other with him. They flop into the sheets that billow and settle beneath them with a soft hiss, the mattress absorbing their impact with far fewer ripples. While they lay there in the quiet, while Duke’s breathing slows, his heartbeat easing from a stampede to a jog under their ears, his hands don’t ever stop smoothing up and down their arms, across their hair, making sure they’re still there, still with him.

Nathan plants a kiss on Duke’s chest, right over his heart because it is such a good heart and he overlooked it for far too long.

Parker smiles at Nathan across Duke’s chest, a small, private little thing that speaks of how proud she is of what they’ve done to Duke, how pleased she is that Nathan himself is here with them. Nathan grabs her hand and places a kiss on the knuckles because in the aftermath is one of the only times she’ll let him be soft and sappy with her.

Her smile widens, grows warm and inviting at the gesture. She uses the hand to tug him across Duke’s panting frame. Nathan goes happily.

“God, your pants are still on?” Duke’s voice is a wrecked rasp that sends a shiver up Nathan’s spine even as Duke’s hand comes down in a sharp slap across Nathan’s jean-covered ass as he passes. Nathan jerks and squawks in outrage but Duke just gives him a wide, shit eating grin, blissed out on the endorphins running through his body.

Audrey laughs at them and then she catches his eye. _Okay?_ Her look says and Nathan nods, too fast to be anything but eager but she doesn’t tease, just gives him a fond look as her clever hands undo the button and the zip. Nathan could cry with relief as she tugs his jeans down, eases the waistband of his boxers over the throbbing, red head of his erection.

Nathan kicks his pants off the end of the bed as Duke’s hand travels the length of his back and Audrey palms the tip of his cock. He hisses out a breath between his teeth, heart thundering in his chest even as he struggles to keep his breathing even. He can feel _everything._ He can feel his chest heaving and their hands on his skin and the new sheets so soft under his knees, he can feel his toes curling at just those brief touches. He can feel _everything._

Parker looks up at him from under her lashes, eyes sparkling with mischief even as she takes pity on him, pulling him down on top of her with one arm, lining him up with the other so he slips right into her hot, slick, entrance just so. The noise that wants to escape Nathan’s throat would result in about fifteen years of teasing so he buries his face in her shoulder and takes long breaths in and out through his nose. Her legs wrap around him, her thighs warm and smooth as satin as they cradle his hips, her heels digging into his butt a little as she moves. God. She moves. And Nathan slides into and out of her tight, hot tunnel and she’s so wet, _slick_ , and then he realizes it’s not just Audrey he’s feeling. It’s Duke too, Duke’s…

“Oh, fuck,” Nathan grunts, hips thrusting forward of their own accord. Audrey meets his gaze with laughing eyes and upraised brows.

Nathan nods. Yes. He knows. He _knows._

He kisses her smug lips and moves with intent now, fucking her into the brand new mattress so hard and the bedframe doesn’t even so much as squeak. Parker does though, in surprise and then pleased little grunts.

Duke shifts over and splays a lazy hand out to thumb at Nathan’s lips. Nathan kisses at the pad but Duke doesn’t move it, instead he grazes the inside of Nathan’s lower lip with the digit. And then Nathan gets it. His hips stutter as he takes a moment to savor the thought, to suck at Duke’s thumb, short sharp little pulls while his tongue swirls against the tip, petty payback but it makes Duke’s eyes go wide and then darken with hunger. Nathan smirks at his best friend and lets his finger go with a pop.

Duke pulls it out slowly, dragging it against the sensitive skin of Nathan’s lower lip. Then his hand smooths between them, all four fingers like a brand against Nathan’s torso as he drags it down the muscles of his chest, then he flips his hand as Nathan sucks in his stomach making room for it so Duke’s thumb can swirl and swirl and swirl around Audrey’s clit. She arches and keens into the touch, breasts crushed against Nathan’s chest, hands tugging at his hair.

Duke kisses Nathan’s shoulder, a soft, warm press of lips and a gentle scratch of goatee. “Is that all you got, Nate?” he teases.

Nathan looks at Audrey, who echoes the challenge, and Nathan turns his head to chuckle breathlessly at them.

“Menaces,” he grits out, kissing Audrey’s cheek, nudging Duke’s shoulder.

Nathan and Audrey move faster now, arching against each other, Duke’s hand sometimes crushed between their bodies, his dark eyes watching them intently, solemnly as they strain toward that final plateau. Nathan thinks of what this would feel like with Duke’s mouth on his cock and Audrey’s clit and then he has to not think of that, not think of that at all. He wraps his hands around the soft swell of Audrey’s hips and speeds up his thrusts. Audrey likes it fast and hard sometimes, especially the second go around. She’s so slick he can go fast, faster, tonight. Nathan can’t get over how hot that is and the wet slap of their bodies makes his spine tingle, his toes curl. It’s the right thing to do because Audrey’s eyes light up and she breathes “Don’t stop” at him, like he could, “either of you,” she adds, glaring at Duke. Like either of them could.

Duke’s thumb swirls around and around Audrey’s clit, faster now too, so fast, and Nathan can feel it, feel it on his cock every time he pulls out. Duke’s breath gusts across his chest, his dark eyes fixed on the spot where Nathan and Audrey are joined, watching them. Wanting them.

Nathan’s breath hiccups in his chest, and three things happen in sharp succession. First, Duke’s thumb swirls just right as Nathan bottoms out inside of Audrey and Audrey comes, hard, with a crowing cry of success. When she comes her inner walls clench around him, a bright, hot jolt of pleasure. Finally, Duke’s free hand comes around between Nathan’s legs and tugs at his balls, just a sharp rolling sensation and Nathan is lost. His body feels hot and cold and then fuzzy and tingly, like all his body hair stands on end as he empties himself into Audrey, joins the mess Duke made there already in hot, sharp pulses that feel like they go on forever and feel like they end too soon.

Nathan comes back to himself with his head pillowed on Audrey’s chest, her hands soothing through his hair and Duke’s big hand roaming up and down his back in warm, comforting strokes.

He wants to say- something. A thousand words of love and promises and a future they’re probably not ready to hear about but he wants to say them anyway, wants to give them ten good things for every bad they’ve had to endure in the name of Haven, in the name of the Troubles, in the name of living.

He hitches in a breath and opens his mouth but what comes out is “Menaces,” in a drunken slur that sets his lovers to laughing at him, warm and real and happy. Nathan closes his eyes for a moment. They’re happy. He’s done good if they’re happy.

When Nathan comes back to himself again, he’s in bed alone, though the room still smells of sex and candlewax. The bathroom door opens in a cloud of steam and Audrey and Duke step into the doorway, obviously freshly showered. They stop for a kiss. Audrey’s up on her toes to reach him, and while Nathan knows she does that, she’s barefoot now so he can _see_ her tippy toeing. And it shouldn’t be cute, but it really is. Her face is warm and open and soft when they pull away, her thumb tracing Duke’s jaw. The bruise is gone. All of Duke’s bruises are finally gone. Nathan means to keep him like that.

“Hi,” Nathan rasps, feeling wrung out but in such a good way that he can’t complain.

Duke smiles back at him, wide and genuine. “Hi.” He lopes across the room to offer Nathan the wet washcloth in his hand to clean up with and Nathan feels something turn over in his chest. They thought of him even when they were in there, and he was conked out in here like a caveman.

“Good to know we didn’t kill you.” Parker winks at him from where she’s bent over the dresser pulling clean pajamas from her drawer. Her drawer, that’s full of her own things now, Audrey Parker things, not hand me downs or donations. Nathan knows that makes her happy and so it makes him happy, too, to watch her shimmy into the new panties as he cleans himself up and Duke flops face first into their bed.

“You want a clean pair of boxers?” Parker asks from the dresser.

“Don’t,” Duke drops a heavy arm across Nathan’s abdomen. “You didn’t buy sheets as soft as these to sleep with clothes on,” he protests, wriggling deeper into the bed.

Nathan laughs and kisses Duke’s arm and then his shoulder and then his lips. His lover. His partner.

He takes the boxers from Audrey anyway. He’ll wake up in ten minutes too overstimulated without them. He tugs them on as Parker and Duke banter about something- he’s not really focused on anything but the sound of their voices, back and forth in their tease, so well matched for each volley. He grumbles and gets up when Parker tugs at the comforter under his head. Moves so that his legs and his head are roughly where they should go, the comforter settling over them like a cloud when Duke flicks it back.

They snuggle into him, whether they want to admit it or not; each of them curls up and throws an arm and a leg over him and in a few minutes that will probably be too much stimulation but for now Nathan just lays still and enjoys it. Enjoys the silky slide of Audrey’s hair against his shoulder and the rat-a-tat-tat pattern Duke taps out over his stomach. Their voices slow and then stop eventually, and Nathan thinks they’ve fallen asleep but he has to ask one last time because no one’s answered him yet.

“So… ‘s that a yes?” he asks the dimly lit room. “The bed…” he clarifies.

Parker and Duke burst into laughter on either side of him. Parker leans up and kisses him, firm and swift. Duke right after her, both of them tasting of toothpaste and mouthwash.

“The bed is a definite keeper,” Duke tells him, dropping his head onto the pillow next to Nathan’s. It matters to Nathan that Duke gave him a real answer, that he didn’t make a joke. It matters. Nathan thumbs back the hair off his forehead.

“Do you like it?” Parker asks, curious fingers running idle patterns over his chest.

Nathan wraps his arm over her shoulder, curves his fingers around hers, stilling them.

“Could use a few more tests-” he says just to make them chuckle, “-but ‘seems like a good fit.”

“Has to be if we’re going to sleep at sunset like chickens,” Duke points out.

“It’s only a nap,” Parker protests but she yawns and spoils her own counter argument.

Nathan smiles and holds his partners close, warm and safe and home.

They’re home.

They fall asleep and don’t wake up for twelve hours now that there’s room to stretch out.

They’re definitely keeping the bed.


End file.
